Another bad decision...it will be ugly at not so Happy Valley Saturday. imagine the flack coming down for the remaining two games which are away. I suspect they will hide him and keep him off the field.

He is scum, just like the rest of the crew that chose to remain silent.

JoePa is NOT scum. He did the right thing by telling his superiors what he knew. He did the wrong thing by not calling the police. JoePa is and always will be a legend. I'm sad that he's retiring. He was the one thing the Big Ten had the no other conference did. He will also be the last FBS coach to spend that amount of time at one school.

But put yourself in his shoes. Its not so simple as always reporting every crime. You can't tell me we all reported our underaged friends drinking. So, it's a decision on whether to report the crime, based on the outcomes.

MAYBE, he didn't really believe the GA. I mean, you're putting a decade-long friend and a GA in a contest for whom JoePa trusts more. Let me guess who wins that.

WELL, HE STiLL SHOULD HAVE CALLED:

Duh....But again, put yourself in his shoes. It's pretty tough to throw a decade-long friend under that amount of scrutiny (if the allegations are incorrect) or into jail (if they are correct).

It really doesn't matter what the crime is. You guys try throwing your friends into jail sometime. Seriously, it's a very hard thing to do.

I AGREE JOEPA SHOULD BE FIRED. Just....please stop saying that he's the heart of evil. Jeez.

Are you fucking kidding me? Did you really equate under age drinking to RAPING a 10 year old boy and allowing a pedophile to continue preying on young boys for 10+ years!?!??!?!

If he didn't want to believe his GA (who he had known for 10 years) his responsibility was to ask Sandusky about the incident ....especially considering the fact he had already been questioned for, and ADMITTED to, inappropriate sexual behaviour with a young kid in 1998.

1998!!!

Get some perspective man. Winning football games does not absolve you from fsailing to do the right thing and protecting the innocent when you have the opportunity to do so.

The GA was a former player, whose father was lifelong friends with Sandusky. He was so conflicted in what he saw that he told his father first, and then the cover up began. He left PSU in 99 because of this type of BS, and the university should have cut all ties with him. They knew of these allegations when the 2002 story came up from McQueary. There is no reason for JoePa not to have believed it, and he believed the story enough to tell his boss. I can't defend a guy, no matter what good he has done in his life, if he chooses to be that ignorant.

Also, your analogy of not telling on a friend for underage drinking is ridiculous. I know you are making an example, but child rape and underage drinking are not even remotely similar, as one is a small fine, and the other is one of the most atrocious acts against a child that one can do. That is not even apples to oranges, but more like an apples to shit on a stick comparison. I wouldn't call the cops on my friends drinking, but I would call on them raping a 10 year old in a heart beat. There would be no conflicting interest for me, because as soon as I heard about such a thing, the friend is no longer a friend.

If you did, I think you might feel a little differently. Sandusky is an evil incarnate, so yeah, JoePa is scum for being complicit in this whole affair. This ain't a shade of gray type of thing, there is a right response and a wrong response to this sort of thing. JoePa chose to try and cover this up, which was the wrong thing to do. For that, he gets the scum tag.

First of all if you believe that the one instance where McQueary came to Paterno and told him about Sandusky raping a child was the first thing he ever knew about Sandusky's perversions, you're pretty goddamn credulous.

But even if that were true, that one instance of covering that shit up - and don't kid yourself, if it wasn't a cover-up he would have followed the fuck up with the AD - is enough to entirely tarnish his reputation. Sandusky hung around PSU with kids for years after word came out. Years.

I don't care how much it fucks with your world view, Paterno is an utter moral coward. Whether you want to use the word 'scum' or not is entirely a question of semantics.

Wrong, at worst, his cowardice allowed the sexual exploitation of children for seven more years. Anyone allowing something like that is scum at the very best. He put his program ahead of children and there are no number of press conferences or demonstrations in support of him that would change my mind. I always respected him. That is completely gone.

I agree the wording is strong, but if you can't acknowledge how someone would feel that way about Paterno then you're missing the point.

I go with him being unable to believe Sandusky was capable of these things and he wanted it dealt with in the easiest way possible. It's still awful, he should still be fired with extreme prejudice but I'm not comfortable with the thought that it's as sinister as other explanations.

I still am curious about how McQuery has been living with himself and watching Sandusky still coming around the school.

I apologize if you think my use of the word "scum" is too strong. I have two sons, both recent Michigan alums, and for me to even contemplate someone doing what Sandusky is accused of doing to my sons because someone chose not to inform the authorities, makes me crazy. No kid deserves to be treated that way. Not ever. The action is inexcusable.

One has to apply some logic here. JoePa is in charge of who is on his staff and who isn't... agree? McQuery is on his staff. JoePa must find him to be relatively good at his job and more or less honest. HE TOLD JOEPA THAT SANDUSKY WAS ______ing kids in the PennSt locker room. McQuery is STILL on staff. JoePa HAS to believe what he was told or McQuery would have been shit canned 9 years ago.

JoePa saw Sandusky coming and going WITH children for 9 more years!!! NINE MORE YEARS and never said another word.

Scum is the absolute nicest thing I could think of the call JoePa right now. He should be gone yesterday. he should be in jail, sued by every kid on the list after 2002... probably 1998 since he HAD TO HAVE KNOW why Sandusky was pushed out of the program at that point.

He is evil to allow more kids to be raped and sodomized and tortured when he could have ended it all.

I am so sick of everyone saying how they would have gone to Sandusky's house and knocked down the door and beat him up themselves...how if they were McQuery they would have grabbed that kid out of the shower...

the fact is bad things happen all the time, and people witness them...they are either in shock or don't believe it or are too afraid to do anything

JoePa didn't do enough, everyone agrees on this point, JoePa agrees on this point

He isn't scum or a bad guy or vile or anything else anyone wants to call him

You know what JoePa is? He is Human, and perhaps that is the worst thing that comes out of this.

The lionized mythical figure of JoePa being above mere mortals is forever disavowed and forgotten...but perhaps it is our fault to put him up on that pedestal. Maybe in the future we will stop making people out to be more than human and just accept them for what they are...a frail old man who could not believe his buddy was a monster

and doesnt make me expect people to be so selfish and cowardice to not do everything in their power to prevent it from happening again.

Joe Pa is the supposed leader of young men and the figure head of a university. A leader certaintly should not allow this to happen. Thats the whole point of choosing a leader is that they will rise above and make the right choices.

JoePa may not be the devil, but he's not that far off. There is no indication that JoePa ever followed up with administration after telling them once about Sandusky. Or that he ever spoke to Sandusky about it. Or that he ever tried to find or reach out to the kid who got raped or his family.

JoePa helped foster an environment in which an accused pedophile was allowed to roam Penn State's campus with impunity. Sandusky had a kid on campus with him in 2008, right in front of both McQueary and Paterno. Neither did anything about it. JoePa is, at best, a POS.

P.S. He didn't "drop the ball." Not submitting CARA forms is "dropping the ball." He allowed child rapist to roam free. Everyone involved with this situation at Penn State should be fired as of yesterday.

To talk with the cops and not get personally involved. He could have easily done that. Joe could've said "I'm staying out of this, you witnessed it, talk to the cops and the situation will be handled that way."

Maybe years later, after people have had time to learn the full scope of what happened/didn't happen and fully digest it, more will be willing to accept what you just wrote. I agree some of the current chest thumping is over the top, but for obvious reasons it's a very emotional thing.

forever defend your right to say it. I will not argue our differences regarding Joe Paterno, here (I have already posted those on other related threads). But, the opinion of Hoke_Floats and others should be heard and read on this blog.

The only positives I see coming out of this sordid episode are related to dialogues like these. What will you do if you ever find yourself in a similar situation? What is the proper response of trusted officials? How and when should an institution react?

The number of places where honest and candid disagreements can occur with civil discourse are far too few. Most of the 7 billion people on the planet do not have the right express themselves so freely.

We don't need to level personal attacks on people who "support", "defend", or otherwise want to wait to decide their opinion about Joe Paterno and others involved in this matter. Keep presenting the respective arguments and we all become better for it.

Paterno and McQuary and crew didn't cover up the stealing of a paper clip, they covered up little children getting raped. Please stop with the arguments that this was just a little moral slip that could happen to anyone. You can't tell me that most people who walk in on a little kid getting raped aren't going to do everything in their power to make sure that stops happening immediately, the accused party is held to justice, and the kid's family knows about it immediately.

with McQuary actions are: how as a normal human being, do you stop yourself from beating the living crap out of Sandusky right there in the shower, when you discover this is going on? Man, that guy is a coward to just turn around and walk out on that happening. Probably more worried about his PSU career, than the little kid....

The crime is not gray. Nobody's wondering if it's OK or not to do what Sandusky did. The situation, from the perspective of some of the players in it, most certainly is. The further you are, the less obvious your responsibility. Black and white rarely exists from every perspective.

The problem is this: they had 10 years to get over the shock of seeing/hearing about it. Yes, seeing that is probably shocking and hearing it you probably don't want to believe it. But after that initial shock comes and goes, and for the next 10 years when you see him in the hallways, sometimes with young boys, you call the fucking cops. End of story

he couldn't believe it after multiple incidents? He had an eye witness telling him SOMETHING bad was going down with a 10 year old boy in the showers of the PSU locker room? What more did he need - pictures?

His responsibility was to immediately get to the heart of the matter.

1. Find the boy and find out his story - he didn't do this

2. Ask Sandusky what happened - he didn't do this

3. Ban him from Penn State - he didn't do this

4. Call the Police and let them investigate since they are the pros - he didn't do this

You cannot be the head of the program and NOT be held resposnible when stuff like this happens. There is NO excusing him.

He only did the bare minimum and then he goes out and says: "we should pray for the victims, or whatever you want to call them..."

What else should we call them, JoePa? How can you belittle these people and their situation by saying "tough life when people do things to you"?

How about: "tough life when people in power - like me - do NOTHING to help you?"

I hope you live in shame for the rest of your life you senile old prick.

I might grant you that many of the people who claim that if they were in McQueary's shoes they would have knocked Sandusky out, or something, are full of shit. God knows how you might react in the moment of seeing something that fucked up and that far outside your normal worldview.

But Paterno - and McQueary - slid this shit under the rug for years. Maybe at one point it was just simply human weakness, garden-variety cowardice. But it became an utterly cynical exercise in maintaining the lie to avoid facing the ugly consquences - even when maintaining the lie endangered other children.

That's fucking low. That's beyond weakness, and into the realm of evil.

I don't have a son, but I have a baby girl and the thought of a trusted coach or teacher betraying her in such a heinous way as these young men had to endure....well if it was my kid, the person who assualted her could never be dead enough.

said WTF DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING !?!?!?!?!?!? Very loudly so as to draw attention to what was going on.

Then I'd have reported it to my Boss just like he did, and then if there wasn't a story in the newspaper the next day announcing the arrest of Jerry Sandusky for the commission of acts of preversion (Col B.A.T. Guano Pronunciation) against a youth I would have drove to the police station and reported it to the desk officer on duty. If no action was taken by the local P.D. I would have called the state authorities.

As the father of two children I would not rest until I made sure that this monster was behind bars.

Anyone who let this happen and basically enabled it is scum. If you can't see that then I feel sorry for you. Jo Pa and PSU are Disgusting for not putting an end to this, the fact they still allow him to be around kids is really disturbing.

There is no excuse for this, they all need to be fired and brought up on charges, this story gets more and more painful the more that these ingrates excuse this behavior by keeping him around.

I think "cowardice" is too kind a word - what did JoePa have to fear? A SUBORDINATE was allegedly raping young boys. It's not like Sandusky could fire JoePa for blowing the whistle. JoePa is the most powerful figure at Penn State - if he led a public crusade, the target of the crusade would be utterly destroyed, full stop.

One thing I've realized is that "innocent until proven guilty" applies to Sandusky (but damn, does he look guilty), but not to JoePa - regardless of the veracity of the allegations against Sandusky, JoePa did the absolute legal minimum to follow up on those very serious allegations. The very fact that PSU (ostensibly) cut Sandusky out of the program seems to suggest they believed the allegations might be true, but failed to get legal authorities involved - they placed their PR above the wellbeing of the alleged victims. That's way worse than "cowardice".

JoePa is (was?) probably the most powerful person in Pennsylvania. If he had wanted to make a phone call to the president and have him send an FBI unit out to investigate, he easily had the power to make that happen. Instead he did nothing beyond mentioning it to his boss.

I initially had a more wait and see attitude before jumping on the fire Paterno bandwagon, but now I can't even fathom that they're letting him continue to coach. By the way, what did it for me was thinking that he went and testified at the GJ proceedings, and still let Sandusky in the weightroom the next week. If that isn't flipping the bird to decency, I don't know what is.

think of the situation. The more time I have to dwell on it - and I felt with the emotionally charged circumstances, it was best to withhold judgement- the more I find it impossible to fathom how Coach Paterno could misjudge so poorly. For his sake I hope he comes out with what in the world he was thinking to do the little that he did. I do feel he did good things for 99% of the young men who passed through Penn State, but now you have to wonder how genuine he truly was.

Here's a writer that wants PSU football destroyed as a testimony to what happens to those who abuse power (link). There is nothing that restores what was lost to these kids.

Your question implies there's some threshhold of "enough"

I don't see a resignation from Paterno as anything other than revenge and blind rage. Its not restitution to the victims (I haven't seen them call for it anywhere) and it sure isn't going to offer them any comfort.

Nothing is going to be sufficient restitution nor provide comfort to the victims, but I assume that you don't advocate doing nothing. I get what you are saying, but actions, even symbolic, matter to people who have been victimized.

There is also an institutional responsibility on PSU's part to make clear statements about where they stand on the issues via their actions.

I appreciate the recognition that I'm not advocating for doing nothing. I guess I'm still not convinced that Paterno knew the severity of the accusation. Between his testimony and Mcquery's, I'm more inclined to believe Paterno was told something nebulous and so he passed it for further investigation. I absolutely agree that the ball was dropped beyond that by the PSU administration but once you've handed it off to the office responsible for investigating such claims (which oversees campus police) I can understand (but not condone) why JoePa didn't get on the hotline to the local police chief in State College - in the PSU world it was handed off to the police. And based on his previous comments and just released statement, I tend to believe his version of things rather than Mcquery's.

Institutional actions need to come down hard on those clearly in the wrong. I don't think the situation regarding JoePa is clear enough.

Maybe part of my hesitation to grab my pitchfork is that I just watched a former mentor have his life destroyed because he touched a teenage boy's stomach in Driver's Ed. Was it weird and inappropriate - sure, it was godawful dumb, especially in today's society. Is he a pedophile, I don't think so and I don't think his wife thinks so either. I can't believe Mcquery told JoePa that a child was anally raped in his facilities by a friend of his and not see JoePa on as much of a warpath as a geriatric can muster, or Mcquery for that matter.

I see where you're coming from, but here's the thing: EVEN IF Sandusky is innocent, McQuery's story to JoePa was at least the 2nd time (1998) Sandusky had been openly accused of inappropriate behavior. EVEN IF McQuery's statement was nebulous (but really, how nebulous could it be? Any whiff of "bad stuff with little boys" is pretty bad) it seems like JoePa's response and follow up was very minimal. At the very least JoePa should have made sure the admin didn't take a week and a half to talk to McQuery, and made sure someone talked to the boy. He did neither.

It's sadly true that false or exaggerated accusations can utterly ruin an innocent man's life, as you believe has happened to your mentor. And if Sandusky is innocent, he should be cleared, absolutely. But even if he is, JoePa didn't do enough.

This was probably unclear but I'm very convinced that Sandusky is guilty. I just don't think it was as clear and as evident to people in the situation as it is to the masses reading the Grand Jury transcript with hindsight. We live in a society that has massively changed its approach to these incidents since 1998/2002.

I agree that JoePa should have done more, even he acknowledges that he wishes he had done more. I just don't think he's one of the ones deserving of punishment here because I don't think he was covering for his friend (as many have accused him on here and elsewhere of doing).

However, if its discovered that he was covering up for Sandusky, then by all means, strip all the accolades, etc. If it was a honest mistake and oversight and screwup to not do more (trusting it would be pursued by those better equipped to investigate) then I don't see anything needed further from JoePa than the regret expressed and a revamping of PSU policies to deal with these situations (assuming they hadn't already been revamped).

The '98 thing keeps getting brought up as a reason why people should've been suspicious of Sandusky. But Sandusky was cleared back then. Really, it proves my earlier point that even an investigation brings a shadow. Or at least, lots of people are saying it should. "He was investigated! You should be suspicious of him!"

So don't you think that that investigation might have had some bearing on Paterno's thinking the next time around? Put me in the NOT SCUM category for this reason. Paterno gets a rather nebulous report of something happening. Sandusky is a really, really good friend, and he was investigated for this before and nothing came of it. He was cleared. No problem. But that investigation tarnished his good name. Do I put my really, really good friend, who's a great guy, tremendous charity work, through that kind of thing again? Do I add more tarnish to his name over something which could turn out to be nothing just like last time? It wasn't anything before, it probably isn't anything again.....

How people can fail to see the existence of this kind of dilemma is beyond me. Anyone who's ever taken an ethics class ought to know the #1 lesson from them: situations which look black and white almost never are. In hindsight, Paterno made a wrong choice. What if this was nothing again, but Paterno reports it? You're already saying we should be suspicious because of an investigation that turned up nothing. We know now that it shouldn't have turned up nothing, but Paterno didn't know that.

Do I put my really, really good friend, who's a great guy, tremendous charity work, through that kind of thing again? Do I add more tarnish to his name over something which could turn out to be nothing just like last time? It wasn't anything before, it probably isn't anything again.....

When your really really good friend who is "a great guy" gets accused of inappropriate behavior with children for a second time, then it's time to evaluate 1) if he should be your really really good friend; and 2) if he's really a great guy.

As for the notion that "it wasn't anything before, it probably isn't anything again," how often to people get baselessly accused of pedophilia TWICE? These aren't accusations of minor recruiting violations. These are accusations of arguably the most vile and unspeakable acts imaginable. At some point, the multiple accusations should set off an alarm. The ostrich defense works only if you let it.

My brother had his computer seized one time at college by the authorities, who thought they'd caught him downloading kiddie porn. It was returned a week later with an apology. Sorry about that, wasn't you after all, nothing to see on this computer. I forget what the mistake was, but it wasn't him.

But I guess that's strike one. If he gets accused a second time, shall I automatically assume he's a pedophile and tell him to go fuck himself, I hope he rots in jail and gets sodomized by serial killers?

I hope you recognize the difference between being erroneously accused of downloading something improper, and being accused of actually being a pedophile twice. You're comparing apples and...I don't know...something that is clearly not apples. When someone you know gets accused of being a pedophile twice, you need to at least ask yourself why the fuck he keeps getting accused of this.

As for your brother, if he has his computer seized a second time for allegedly downloading kiddie porn, no, you don't have to "automatically assume he's a pedophile and tell him to go fuck himself." But you probably should ask him this: "what the fuck is it that you're doing that makes the authorities keep thinking your downloading kiddie porn?"

Again, your analogy is piss-poor (and I mean really, PISS POOR), but I went with it for you. Here, JoePa should have at least asked Sandusky why he kept being accused of this. He didn't, which is a shame, because unlike in your analogy, 1) there was an eyewitness to the awful acts who told JoePa what was happening; and 2) SANDUSKY ACTUALLY WAS MOLESTING CHILDREN. JoePa's inaction enabled it to contine happening, and for that reason JoePa is a piece of shit.

I have to assume you don't have kids. I have two very little ones, and for that reason, everything about this situation, including the adminstration's efforts to sweep it all under the rug, really really upsets me.

I thought I wouldn't have to explain this part, but I guess I do: you know that is also what happens in kiddie porn, don't you? By definition? There's a reason it's a federal felony to have the stuff. It's also kind of interesting that you think it does not make you a pedophile to have a collection of it.

It's also kind of interesting that you think it does not make you a pedophile to have a collection of it.

I'm sorry...are you calling me a pedophile? Because FUCK YOU. NO SERIOUSLY, FUCK YOU. You are a despicable piece of shit, and I truly apologize that I have to type this, and can't say it to your face.

I told you that this situation really upsets me because I have two young children and your response is to insituate that I'm a pedophile?

FUCK YOU. SERIOUSLY, FUCK YOU.

It's also a bummer that you missed my point that being erroneously accused of downloading something illegal once is not the same thing as being accused of molestation twice. Because in addition to being a fucking asshole, you are also mind-numbingly fucking stupid.

Otherwise, I am not, and I must be as stupid as you say because I can't figure out where "you are a pedophile" appeared in my post, and your deep-end reaction is exactly why it might be a little dicey to accuse someone of pedophilia, no?

Really? You don't think your statement "It's also kind of interesting that you think it does not make you a pedophile to have a collection of it" is not some sort of poorly-veiled jab at me? Clearly that was intent, which is understandable, since you're clearly an asshole.

As for this: "your deep end reaction is exactly why it might be a little dicey to accuse someone of pedophilia, no?"

Who exactly, is being wrongly accused of pedophilia here (other than me in your idiotic fucking comment)? Are you worried about Sandusky? Sadly, there already appears to be a mountain of evidence against him. As for the guy you've been championing, Paterno, no one is accusing him of being a pedophile. Just of fostering an atmosphere where an accused pedophile can walk around campus without being reported to police, and without any real repurcussion. Don't worry though. The worst anyone can call Paterno is a total piece of shit.

Really? You don't think your statement "It's also kind of interesting that you think it does not make you a pedophile to have a collection of it" is not some sort of poorly-veiled jab at me?

No, it was not. This would be a poorly-veiled jab at you: You're an oversensitive dickhead. This would be an even better one: Methinks you doth protest too much.

However, the only one actually doing any name-calling is you. I'm not accusing you of being a pedophile. (I might start thinking you're a dickhead if you're gonna keep losing your shit, though.) But I'm really wondering why you were implying that molesting children makes one a pedophile but getting off to images of the same thing does not. In other words, explain this:

I hope you recognize the difference between being erroneously accused of downloading something improper, and being accused of actually being a pedophile twice. You're comparing apples and...I don't know...something that is clearly not apples.

Other than the degree of severity, yes, you'll have to explain the difference. Because judging by your reaction to things, kiddie porn is more than just "something improper" to you.

No, it was not. This would be a poorly-veiled jab at you: You're an oversensitive dickhead. This would be an even better one: Methinks you doth protest too much.

Let me start by saying, go fuck yourself.

As to the rest, if my comments in any way suggested that I don't think that downloading kiddie porn is a horrible, despicable crime that should be punished by jailtime, my apologies. I certainly did not intend to downplay the severity of that crime. To be clear, just as you are committed to being a fucking asshole, I am committed to being a good father to my two young children, and protecting them from such evil.

As to your analogy, my point was being accused of downloading it once (and then having the error in that accusation confirmed) is far different than being accused of molestation twice, especially when 1) the first accusation was never confirmed as being in error, as the downloading in your analogy; and 2) the second accusation (which to be clear, was rape) involved an eyewitness account of it actually happening.

If you still don't understand the distinction, other than to consider it it one of a "degree of severity," I cannot help you further.

Let me conclude by saying, go fuck yourself. If my comments make me an "oversensitive dickhead," so be it. Far better than being an asshole, and accusing people of being pedophiles.

I can see why you're upset, but take a breath and realize that MaizeandBlueWahoo has obviously abandoned all logic and decorum in this thread. There's obviously some complicated emotional resonance for him on this issue, and you're not going to get anywhere arguing with him. I'd be upset too if someone made an insinuation about child porn in my direction - no matter how childishly the insinuation was made - but rest assured that no one on the board is going to take that insinuation seriously about you. Probably best just to let it go at this point.

You are a prick. I did not call you a pedophile and I did not explode with a geyser of profanity. That was all you. I provide an analogy, which I regret ever doing - God forbid anyone tell a personal story around here - which you jump on as "piss-poor" and start spewing swear words at me left and right. I'm half surprised you didn't go up to the guy who admitted being abused himself and tell him "you're not a father so you wouldn't understand." And somehow I'm the one who's "abandoned all sense of decorum" and you're the one raising kids. Go jump in front of a fucking cement truck.

No, you should not automatically assume he is a pedophile. But you ABSOLUTELY should look into a bit deeper than just saying to yourself "well, they were wrong once, they are probably wrong again so nothing to investigate here".

AND, in 1998 he ADMITTED his crime to the mother but, for some crazy reason, the Police decided not to prosecute. How does JoePa not hear of this admission?

Why should he have? I doubt the mother had a direct line to Paterno. I doubt he and Sandusky discussed it over a beer. If charges were not pressed, there'd be no way for Paterno to know of that admission. You can't make an assumption like that. "He absolutely knew" is just not a statement you can make.

Actually I can as head coaches know everytime one of their players is in trouble with the law whether charges are filed or not: fights, weed, speeding, DUI, MIP, etc. They are always informed by the local PD of what is going on.

Now you expect me to believe the Police wouldn't have called Joe Pa when his longtime DC, and the heir apparent as HC, was implicated/admitted he was molesting children?

Sorry, I don't believe that for one second. The most powerful man on campus has no idea that Sandusky is being investigated for child molestation? No chance.

Knowing he's investigated? Sure. But I didn't say that. Knowing about the admission to the mother? I can easily believe he wouldn't have known about that. You know how privacy laws are; not only those, but there's also the part where nobody ever comments on an ongoing investigation (other than that they exist) because that's how they get compromised. Paterno might've known about the admission or he might not have, but it shouldn't surprise if he didn't.

so it's very likely that, at a minimum, he knew Sandusky was being investigated in '98 and then in '02 he has a trusted GA, an ex-player, come in and tell him that SOMETHING was going down with a 10 year old and Sandusky in the shower.

That is more than enough evidence that he SHOULD have gone the extra mile and found out for himself what the hell was going on here. You don't turn a blind eye to that....I'm sorry, you just don't.

Then, a grand jury has him testify in an investigation into Sandusky's alleged child molestation over the years and he still doesn't ban him from campus - Sandusky was STILL WORKING OUT AT PSU last week!?!?!?!?

WTF!?!?!?

Does he really have no moral compass at all?

EDIT: Also, if you don't think the PD told Joe Pa everything, you don't know the cozy relationship there is between the local PD (campus police especially) and the HC of the football program at a national power school like PSU.

You mean, he wasn't charged with a crime. My understanding is that there's pretty good evidence that he was showering naked with a kid, hugged him in an inappropriate manner, and recognized how wrong it was when confronted by the mother of the child. If Paterno told himself that the upshot was, "well, looks like the book's closed on Jerry's pedophilia!' in the aftermath of the 1998 stuff, maybe that's understandable. No one wants to believe that about people they think they know well.

But then in 2002 he heard about Sandusky raping a kid in the showers, and you think it's understandable that Paterno again just didn't want Sandusky's name to be unfairly tarnished? How the fuck would it be unfair? Did he think McQueary was maybe on PCP and just hallucinated the shit? Did he think McQueary was playing an elaborate prank that might go too far? This wasn't an ambiguous, mighta been some kinda creepy horseplay type of situation, as least as its presented in the grand jury report. This was anal sex.

And don't give me the bullshit that Paterno's lawyer cooked up - that Paterno wasn't really clear about what McQueary was trying to tell him. One of two things may have happened: McQueary, obviously upset, starts to tell Paterno something about Sandusky with a child in the showers, and Paterno cuts him off right there, says 'this is something that should be reported to the AD.' That reaction is only possible if you're not completely shocked at what you're hearing and you're already in the mode of passing the buck and covering your ass. The other possible reaction would be for Paterno to say, 'Stop. What the fuck are you saying? What exactly the fuck did you see? Tell me again - what the fuck are you saying?' No one on Earth hears something that sounds like an accustion of child rape and then says, 'well, I'm not exactly sure what I just heard, but I guess it's not for me to try to get some clarification' unless they're very consciously trying to avoid that clarity.

We're talking about the same McQueary that we are hammering for not stopping the act in progress, not going to the police, not doing anything other than watching for a second and then leaving, right? This is the same McQueary? The guy who did, like, the third-worst thing he could have done short of just keeping it entirely to himself or joining in?

Why the hell, then, is he suddenly a perfectly lucid, credible guy who obviously told Paterno the whole story without hesitation and is obviously telling the truth when he said he had? Apparently, McQueary is scum when we are talking about McQueary alone, but he's just this side of a victim when it comes to his conversation with Paterno.

OK, first, I think McQueary is also morally culpable here. Maybe a little less than Paterno, considering the difference in each person's authority and power within that program. I don't know where you found people treating him like a victim, but I think that's a bit of a straw man.

Drawing the connection between McQueary being immoral for not reporting this to the police - something we know now - and his credibility to Paterno in the moment he reported the rape, requires some interesting, anachronistic mental gymanstics. Wait - I'll break that down for you. That connection doesn't make any fucking sense, because integrity in reporting the criminal acts of your superiors to police has nothing to do with 'lucidity.' It also doesn't make sense to assert that Paterno might reasonably question the credibility of McQueary becauase he (Paterno) had the prescience to know that McQueary was the kind of guy who in the future wasn't going to report child rape to the police. (Which might also indicate that Paterno knew that he himself was also not going to report the shit to the police, and things become a bit confusing.)

Regardless, there's a bit of a gap between someone being the paragon of integrity - which it appears McQueary ain't - and being likely to completely fabricate a story of child rape, with no conceivable motive, no less. Unless it comes out that McQueary was completely mentally unstable - and he's lasted on the staff a long time, if that were the case - the only way Paterno questions the credibility of the story McQueary tells him is because he willfully doesn't want to believe it.

Look, it's too bad for you that your brother was investigated for child porn. I mean that - that's a really shitty situation to be in. But your brother's thing and the Sandusky situation are two discrete things, and it seems like you might be conflating the two. Judging by your comments in this thread, you're not a dumb guy, but you're completely unable to formulate coherent opinions about this situation. I really think you should sit the rest of this one out.

That's.....really insulting, actually. I got one guy completely losing his shit, calling me every name in the book, because he's convinced I'm calling him a pedophile no matter how many times I say I'm not, and I'm the one who can't be coherent about this.

You're presenting two options with McQueary - that either he's got mental problems or that he told the entire truth to Paterno. Surely there are other possibilities. I repeat: this guy already has a screwup on his record. Why is it hard to believe he'd make more? Or, that he would lie to protect himself and say he told Paterno everything nine years ago, knowing full well nobody could really prove otherwise? We're presented with two versions, one from McQueary that says one thing, and one from Paterno that says another. I don't know which to believe, but if you held a gun to my head and made me pick, it wouldn't be the version from the guy who's already been shown to have screwed up once.

And sure, obviously there is a difference between downloading "improper images" and actually raping a kid. If any of us could come up with a situation precisely like this one, there'd be a hell of a lot less of a discussion. But then, I shouldn't need to explain the similarities either.

First off, JoePa said to the grand jury that McQueary told him there was sexual things going on in the shower.

Second, everything else you are arguing is ridiculously stupid. All of this happened 10 years ago. If JoePa thought McQueary wasn't telling the truth or was dishonest in any way, why was he on staff? If JoePa thought what McQueart told him didn't mean much, why did he call a meeting with the president the next day and why did they ban that sick fuck from the facilities? Your argument is horrible and you don't really know what you are talking about.

Here's the problem. The idea that Paterno was told something "nebulous" has been brought up a couple times. But in grand jury testimony, Paterno said he told Curley that he had been told that Sandusky was "fondling or doing something of a sexual nature" with a boy in the locker room.

Now, that's nebulous in the sense that it somewhat downplays the severity and leaves out the details of the alleged assault, but IT'S STILL A CRIME, AND A BAD ONE. What specifically happened was nebulous. Whether what happened was worthy of being reported to the cops was not - again, coming from Paterno's own testimony.

Enough is...fire the coaching staff...cancel the season (you can't get another coaching staff in there at this point without getting the support of the coaches in place or asking the kids to coach themselves.)...have a university wide discussion/training of the responsibilities of adults for child safety...make this discussion mandatory for everyone...this is a teachable moment...about something very important...more important than stupid football. Use it.

The leadership in football and in athletics at Penn State did not protect children. PSU students were in the streets supporting that leadership. Good god.

Schools have canceled seasons for considerably less. Public servants are mandatory reporters (at least in my state.) A training is appropriate. These students are too young to have to sort this out without support and leadership.

The response to this from all B1G and/or NCAA has to be unprecedented, since the situation is unprecedented. The abuses here make the SMU scandal trivial by comparison, and if the allegations prove true, then the "death penalty" probably is in order for PSU football . Precisely what Paterno heard or said or understood is really beside the point. The grand jury report depicts a systemic failure to follow the most obvious ethical course. I had a hard time reading it. This isn’t one or two bad actors; a series of administrators from head coach up not only didn’t stop Sandusky, they continued to let him use their institution to promote kids’ programs and use their facilities. As a father who sends my kids to summer sports camps, this whole story turns my stomach and makes me shake with rage.

If the reason behind the cover-up and blind-eye-turning was to preserve the brand value of Penn State football, then the best way to insure that this kind of abuse isn't covered up in the future at Penn State or anywhere else is to make the institutional cost of violation so high that no head coach, AD, or university president would ever make this kind of mistake again. So I say death penalty for Penn State football for at least 5 years.

That would suck for the majority of honest and decent football players at Penn State; all should be allowed to transfer without penalty. None of the rest of Penn State’s programs should be touched. But when an institution's leaders decide that a football program is more important than preventing child rape, then that institution forfeits its right to a football program.

It is mind-boggling that the board has not fired JoePa and McQueary. How can they rationalize anything but this action in these emergency meetings they're holding? They are continuing the inaction/cowardice that has resulted in this mess. Letting him finish the season is a slap in the face of the victims.

Delaney should step in, but I doubt he will because he's an ass.

If Nebraska took a stand they would have my respect. Someone in a position to do so needs to expose PSU on a national stage and bring about what the PSU board is too weak to do themselves.

he's trying to get out from under his own firing. But he did it in a somewhat thoughtful way, saying he didn't think the U should have to spend another minute worrying about him given all that's going on, and that he wished he'd done more:

"I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief. I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today. That's why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more. My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University."

Some will argue that it's the least he could do--and I agree. But it's something more than the pattern of avoidance and refusal to face facts we've been seeing.

I don't see how they can have him at another game - not that he will actually be "coaching". Further evidence they don't really get it yet. Compared to Michigan and the other BIG schools Penn State is a very insular situation...used to much more media control than we are. This could look pretty bad come Saturday when the cameras are on that sideline.

Obviously, at Penn State they believe this is the appropriate thing to do.... he didn't break the law, he is a legend, they "owe him" to let him finish his career with a win on New Years (aka 1/2/12)

But to the rest of the nation it will appear like the University is taking a position on JoPa's actions after being told about the rape. Whether the institution knew then, or when it actually found out, is now (with this decision) completely irrelevant. This decision blends the timeline and they are enabling those who knew then to be protected now. The institution had a chance to make a stand and a moral position, but it failed.

Seems that PSU is continually taking the stand that all their officials, then and now, are doing the appropriate thing for the University...and the University will back them.

What was once an issue with certain coaches and certain administrators has now merged with the University as a whole. The whole institution is at fault, maybe knew, is protecting its own. Whether factual or not, this sure gives the rest of the country that impression.

What pisses me off about this, as I think about it, is this is a binary situation.

Either you say. "Sandusky didn't do shit and we can prove that" (for the record he appears guilty as hell, still innocent until proven guilty) or you say "We really, really, really, messed up."

These half assed things like resigning at the end of the season are basically admissions of wrongdoing while trying to bargain over the consquences. That's what makes it so disgusting. Children were raped and you're trying to leave on your own terms.

I think there are two reasonable positions for the university to take: 1) "this is an ongoing investigation, the allegations are disturbing, and once the full truth is determined anyone involved will be punished severely. Until then everyone is innocent until proven guilty" 2) "we really screwed up, these guys are guilty, and we'll supply the torches and pitchforks right now". They've instead taken an inconceivable middle ground: "these guys are probably guilty, so we're going to punish them, but slowly and only a little".

Firing Sandusky or cutting him out of the program (which they did a poor job of anyway) doesn't count for a damn. An ESPN commentator had an excellent point today. By cutting Sandusky out of the program but not going to the police, Penn State essentially conceded that they knew something inappropriate was going on, but said "just don't do it here". In other words, they didn't give a damn if anyone was getting raped by a former employee, as long as it didn't tarnish the school.

Right. But I think the point is that the fact that they did (or claimed to do) anything at all suggests that they felt there was some potential truth to the accusations, but still placed PR above justice.

Somehow Penn State has manged to make me angrier every day since this scandal first broke. Each day I think I'm at my "pissed off" max and then, just like clockwork, they do something that shows me they have NO idea of the magnitude of what happened and piss me off even more.

I used to root against the following teams and in this order:

1. Notre Dame

2. OSU

3. MSU

But as of now there's a new #1 and it's not even close. If PSU loses 147-0 in every game between now and 2025 it's A-OK with me.

Would ever do it, but considering the out of this world circumstances, anyone think PSU might be best served by declining any Bowl invitation? They have to play the rest of their Big Ten games. Going through all that national speculation that every practice, trip, press conference and game tied to the bowl is optional. It might be in their best interest, overall.

I'm not sure exactly when this stuff started coming to light or what drove that timing, but it seems awfully conveinent that this really got steam behind it after Paterno already had his milestone win.

If that were the reason, why not let him finish the season before bringing this ugly item to the forefront. I suspect is was solely the timing of the prosecutors and the state of the litigation that dictated the timing.

Yep, coach witnessed Sandusky "wrestling" with boy, immediately told principal, they, along with an asst football coach, met with the boy and his mom. Boy recounted being molested. They immediately banned Sandusky from the district, went to the police, and notified child protective services.

I don't know exactly what happened in 1998, but it can be very hard to prove anything when your witness is a child. That's not to let anyone off the hook. Like I said, I don't know exactly what happened.

As to the accumulation of charges, it may have been that some of the victims became aware of other victims coming forward and then felt more comfortable doing it themselves. The outing of a sexual predator of children often leads to a small number of people coming forward (after the discovery of the first victim) followed by an avalanche of people who now feel less ashamed of what happened to them and less isolated.

The entire PSU football staff needs to go at the end of this season. JoePa and McQueary knew that Sandusky had raped a boy in the PSU facilities and yet they let Sandusky come to practice for years following that WITH OTHER BOYS:

Five years after this, in the spring of 2007, Sandusky was attending PSU football practices with his latest rape victim: a 12-year-old boy who he had met through a Second Mile camp conducted at PSU, and who he was in the process of, among other things, orally sodomizing.

They knew he was still doing horrible things. There is obviously a cultural problem there. How can you let a man you know is child rapist bring other young boys around your facilities.

Unfortunately, PSU has a cultural problem and all of the staff needs to go.

There was probably a good chance that this was going to be his last season anyway, so whatever.

But they should take away his presumptive right to name his own successor. He needs to suffer some practical consequences for his inaction. And if PSU just promotes from within, there will always be lingering questions about who on the current staff knew of Sandusky's proclivities and kept quiet about them. PSU needs to make a clean break from this sordid mess.

Be interesting to see how strong the BOT is. That's kind of like taunting them at one level and saying "Ha, I beat you to the punch". If the BOT is strong it might just piss them off and ensure they boot his ass.

Yeah but it seems like PSU's Board of Turstees was not happy with the way the administration was handling the scandal and has taken matters into its own hands. They have the authority to hire and fire the University's leadership and they will do that if there's a catastrophic failure (which is clearly what happened here). I would be surprised if Spanier was still employed next month.

I think it's because this is the only thing they can do without Paterno kicking up a gigantic legal shitstorm and they want to avoid the headache. Apparently he was asked to resign and he refused to do so. From there the next tenable move is an end of season retirement.

I'd rather they show some guts and fire him, but it's been clear for years that Joe wasn't going to go without a big fight and they may be trying to get him out in the easiest way possible. It's the same shit that got them into this position in the first place, why would they change?

If he was asked and refuses, the BoT needs to drop a pair and boot him. Giving in to Paterno right now might avoid a shitstorm, but as details come out and people realize you cut a deal with him, that will be a worse firestorm by far.

The BoT are already investigating. They should be placing him on paid administrative leave until the investigation concludes. I think he should be cut loose right now, but at least that's a way to keep him away from the program for the remainder of the year (and his contract).

It's better than pretending nothing is wrong and allowing him to stay.

This decision isn't really in their hands anymore. The tidal wave of public outcry will make sure Paterno and his staff are out before the end of the season. The administration should make it easier on themselves and get it over with now but they can't see past their little insulated world of Happy Valley. If anyone at PSU had the ability to see the forest for the trees then this terrible situation where a child molester was given refuge wouldn't have happened in the first place. It's sickening.

Joe Paterno statement: "I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief. I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care. I have the same goal today. That's why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season. At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address. I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more. My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination. And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University.

It should be the Board of Trustees at Paterno State University. PSU should be decisive here - not the bunch of do-nothing, wieners they've been acting like. The BOT apparently came out with a stronger statement than their lame-duck President. What they should do to reduce the stench of this scandal is to fire anyone and everyone who had anything to do with enabling Sandusky AND knew what he had done. Having the AD on leave of absence is a joke. He's one of the most guilty people in this coverup. The President should obviously go soon also, and it appears his support within the BOT is almost gone.

If the BoT doesn't take control and force him out immediately, or at a minimum put him on administrative leave so he has no active duties, then they too have lost moral authority. The man enabled child molestation for a decade FERGODSAKES. How in the world is he still on the job? I cannot fathom it.

I'm not sure the Board of Trustees has acted yet. I don't want to excuse anything they have done so far, but the way I read the news so far, Paterno has unilaterally said he would retire. That's nice. However, the BOT could still fire him, presumably immediately. I don't know whether they have the balls or the brains to do it, but I have not seen any decision from them indicating that they won't.

I predict that Paterno is fired within the next 24-48 hours and does not "coach" this weekend. I really think they have to let McCready go also. What I don't know is whether they can find enough people on the existing coaching staff that they can safely not fire immediately. What do you do with a football team that does not have any coaches? Can they play? Can they go on the road next week?

Paterno's almost daring them to fire him in his retirement announcement, by saying, " At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address."

around every word Paterno speaks. The students, the administrators and citizens of State College are all brainwashed by Paterno.

Was he a great coach? yes at one time, but he's been a figurehead for years.

Is he a great human being? Not anymore. Read the Gr. Jury report, all 23 pages and you'll grow to detest everyone involved.

Paterno, Spanier, Curley, the University "Police" and everyone that had any knowledge of the disgusting, deplorable acts of that pig Sandusky are all guilty and will have to answer for all this one day.

I have lost all respect for Paterno and every day my disgust with that school grows more and more. How can those "free-thinking" students stand by and support the university and the administrators and coaches who were involved. And yes, Paterno is involved beause he knew about it and did virtually nothing. How could any of these fools NOT go to the State Police. How could they let this animal back on campus when they knew what he had been doing for years.

He has nothing to lose with this gambit. His contract expires at the end of the year, he's a thousand years old, and there's no way in hell that with this scandal out, he is coaching next year anyway. If he dictates the terms and coaches out the rest of the year, he can go out with some sort of grace and respect intact (which I don't think he deserves).

I have spent basically my entire life admiring the guy who supposedly has done everything with honor and integrity. It's so strange to see that turned upside down and learn that this guy might have been scummier than just about everyone else. Too bad, but if everything that's been said is true, he doesn't deserve to go out with respect.

Steve Spurrier calls Joe Paterno/Penn State situation "tragic" and says on Paterno's retiement, "Coach Joe did what he had to do." Shut the fuck up Steve, fire that asshole as well. What the fuck is wrong with these people? Is the coaching fraternity that strong that noone gives a fuck about the kids?

It is a tough day for college football when JoePa retires. There will be very few if any like him and what he represented (again, with this whole current thing aside) for the duration of his time at Penn St. His refusal to take a pay raise. The amount of his salary he donated right back to the school. The amount of dedication in both time in effort he had for one single institution. He was/is truly a part of Penn St. and not just a football coach.

All that gets a bit lost now because of all the terrible things that have been brought forward recently. It's sad that many legends can't go out the way that they should (Woody, Joe Pa, Bowden, etc), or maybe could is a better term here. It's sad that it seems like many of the people we consider leaders and role models are forever tarnished, some in worse ways than others no doubt. Without question, what has come forward recently is terrible and it's good that action is now being taken, especially for those the accusations happened to, but a piece of me feels we were for the most part better off without all the media attention, hawking over every single thing. We still had heroes, people could still become legends, and people were generally more optimistic while a little more oblivious. But that seems to be part of a glorified past now.

My last comment. It is important to remember that Joe Pa wasn't the one who did these heinous acts. While he didn't take all the correct actions to bring them to a close, I have no doubt that he is truly disgusted by these acts. Joe Pa isn't a bad person. He has done a lot of very good things. He morally made a bad decision and lacked the courage to go to authorities when he heard something terrible about someone I'm sure he trusted very much to stand for the same morals Joe Pa represented. Joe Pa was human, he had very bad human judgement, he admits it himself, but it's much easier to sit here like Statler and Waldorf up high in our belconies claiming how we ourselves would have done so much different. This is on Joe Pa's conscience, as it should be, this should be one of if not the biggest regret of his life. I believe what he said in that statement, and I believe this is. By not turning him in, Joe Pa himself went against what he stood for, and that's sad, but his actions are no where near as bad as the actions of Sandusky's. That can't be forgotten in all this. While they can be linked, they are not equalled.

Buckner was a very good first baseman for many many years for Boston. But that is not what the regular fans remember anymore. Whenever Buckner's name is brought up, all they remember is how he booted that ground ball.

That sucks. Because in the grand scheme of things, booting a grounder should not define a career.

You know what doesn't suck?

Paterno stood by and did nothing while a monster was rampaging through countless boys right under his nose, all over the campus and on road trips. If people don't remember the good things that Paterno did and just remember this tragedy, well, that is just too bad. Paterno had the time and ability to make things right, he didn't.

He deserves all the scorn he receives. Because in the grand scheme of things, allowing a monster to rape countless kids because of your inaction SHOULD define your career.

Was Bo being strong enough to call it a day before he lost it on the field and/or off the field, and without any skeletons in his closet. I look at Woody and Bowden particularly, and JoePa in similiar ways outside this situation, and think they might have all been better off is they were as self-aware as Bo was.

How can people possibly defend Paterno? because of his inaction a number of children had their lives potentially ruined by a disgusting human being. Every single episode that has occurred since 1999 is entirely on the conscience of joepa as well as the rest of the penn st admin. The man is a despicable human being who despite being in a position of power did nothing to help. When it comes to something like this the bare minimum legally just doesn't cut it to avoid being a disgusting person, he got out of jail by going to the AD, he didn't get out of his moral responsibility of being a decent person and ensuring this didn't happen ever again when he had the power to do so. The man is scum and there really is no other way to look at it, he just happens to be scum that won't go to jail.

Does anyone else find it a little peculiar that this scandal just happened to not go public until after Paterno recorded win number 409? Why now? Why couldn't the cops have gone forward a few months ago?

lets him coach another game they're basically saying football is more important than these young children. I think what paterno is doing is trying to go out on his standards rather than the universities. It really says something about humanity if joepa coaches another game.

"But put yourself in his shoes. Its not so simple as always reporting every crime. You can't tell me we all reported our underaged friends drinking. So, it's a decision on whether to report the crime, based on the outcomes.

MAYBE, he didn't really believe the GA. I mean, you're putting a decade-long friend and a GA in a contest for whom JoePa trusts more. Let me guess who wins that.

WELL, HE STiLL SHOULD HAVE CALLED:

Duh....But again, put yourself in his shoes. It's pretty tough to throw a decade-long friend under that amount of scrutiny (if the allegations are incorrect) or into jail (if they are correct).

It really doesn't matter what the crime is. You guys try throwing your friends into jail sometime. Seriously, it's a very hard thing to do.'

I put myself in his shoes and I go straight to Sandusky's house, kick in the door and drag his sick ass to the State Police station. There is no ifs or whatevers here. Don't try to shrink the impact by comparing it to the Nazis. It is the moral job of every adult to protect those that project themselves. The grad assistant, Paterno, the president of the school, the AD and everyone who knew anything about it, failed. EPICALLY!

Is anyone REALLY surprised by this clusterfuck of a cover-up? When money and The Brand are involved, men will do irrational, evil things to protect it because we are animals and animals only worry about survival.

The higher-ups who are already casualties made the decision that protecting The Brand and its image was more important than doing what was right and, honestly, would it be all that surprising if this had happened somewhere else as opposed to PSU? No, because money and power and self-image corrupt.

The fact of the matter (as has been touched on several times in this thread) is that while Paterno legally did what was asked of him, he didn't follow through and his actions (or lack thereof) resulted in a serial child abuser not only being able to roam free but to continue to do what he'd been doing on PSU's campus.

I won't argue that Paterno should've gone to the police or confronted Sandusky himself or anything like that but the simple fact that he did not once follow up, even after seeing Sandusky around campus for 9 years, says more about Paterno than anything else. Which is a shame; the man did so much good and this one horrible instance wipes all of that out.

Paterno should be pushed out, should have this black mark on his career/life until the day he dies, and though it won't happen, he should be hit with criminal negligence for his lack of a follow up.